Richard Baxter Quotes

       Richard Baxter
       1615-1691
      
       Richard Baxter was an English Puritan church leader, theologian and controversialist, called by Dean Stanley "the chief of English Protestant Schoolmen". After some false starts, he made his reputation by his ministry at Kidderminster, and at around the same time began a long and prolific career as theological writer. After the Restoration he refused preferment, while retaining a non-separatist presbyterian approach, and became one of the most influential leaders of the nonconformists, spending time in prison.
      
       He wrote 168 or so separate works -- such treatises as the Christian Directory, the Methodus Theologiae Christianae, and the Catholic Theology, might each have represented the life's work of an ordinary man. His Breviate of the Life of Mrs Margaret Baxter records the virtues of his wife, and reveals Baxter's tenderness of nature. Without doubt, however, his most famous and enduring contribution to Christian literature was a devotional work published in 1658 under the title Call to the Unconverted to Turn and Live. This slim volume was credited with the conversion of thousands and formed one of the core extra-biblical texts of evangelicalism until at least the middle of the nineteenth century.

In necessary things, unity; in doubtful things, liberty; in all things, charity.     Topics: Charity, Doubt, Unity It is as hard a thing to maintain a sound understanding, a tender conscience, a lively, gracious, heavenly spirit, and an upright life in the midst of contention, as to keep your candle lighted in the greatest storms.     Topics: Conscience, Holiness The churchyard is the market place where all things are rated at their true value, and those who are approaching it talk of the world and its vanities with a wisdom unknown before.     Topics: Death If family religion were duly attended to and properly discharged, I think the preaching of the Word would not be the common instrument of conversion.     Topics: Family Dangers bring fears, and fears more dangers bring.     Topics: Fear You may know God, but not comprehend Him.     Topics: God God takes men's hearty desires and will, instead of the deed, where they have not power to fulfill it; but he never took the bare deed instead of the will.     Topics: God I take the love of God and self-denial to be the sum of all saving grace and religion.     Topics: Grace, Self-denial This life was not intended to be the place of our perfection, but the preparation for it.     Topics: Holiness It is a contradiction to be a true Christian and not humble.     Topics: Humility Idleness is a constant sin, and labor is a duty. Idleness is the devil's home for temptation and for unprofitable, distracting musings; while labor profiteth others and ourselves.     Topics: Idleness If they can see you love them, you can say anything to them.     Topics: Love